M M Kalburgi's killer drove Wagmare to Gauri Lankesh home

Bengaluru: Parshuram Ashok Wagmare alias Parashu alias Builder alias Kohli (26) – a communal rowdy sheeter from Sindhagi in Vijayapura district – who has reportedly confessed to killing journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh on September 5 last year outside her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, using the country-made 7.65mm pistol, was part of a gang of killers that targeted rationalists and Hindutva critics. Wagmare was spotted and "tasked" for the “ideological” killing by 37-year-old Pune-based engineer Amol Kale, who has also been arrested for alleged involvement in the case.

In fact, investigators are now on the hunt for the man, who drove the black ‘Pulsar’ motorcycle on that fateful night when Gauri killer Wagmare rode pillion, as he is reportedly the killer of rationalist Prof M.M. Kalburgi, sources on condition of anonymity told Deccan Chronicle.  “Wagmare was riding pillion and the man, who drove the motorcycle that fateful night, is Prof Kalburgi's killer. He is on the run, but we should get him soon,” said a source on condition of anonymity. 

Wagmare along with five other accused has  been arrested for their alleged involvement in the Gauri murder case and  conspiracy to eliminate noted writer Prof K.S. Bhagwan by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and is currently lodged in judicial custody at Bengaluru Central Prison. 

 

To confirm Wagmare's confession, the SIT had planned a "strategic" chance encounter between him and Amol Kale while they were in police custody on Wednesday night, a day before they were produced before the 1st ACMM court in the City. An unsuspecting Kale, who had been maintaining a stoic silence before the SIT, was reportedly taken aback when he saw Wagmare. "He shouted and banged his head on the wall when he saw Wagmare, who was also in police custody along with him and other accused at an undisclosed location. They were kept separately and the chance meeting was part of the interrogation strategy to surprise Kale. When he saw Wagmare, he knew that his game was up and that the latter would have spilled the beans to the SIT," said the source.  

Kale is a former convener of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), which is an affiliate of Sanathan Sanstha in Ponda, South Goa. According to the SIT, Kale had strategically distanced himself from the right-wing after the 2008 Malegaon blast to keep away from any controversy, though he was reportedly involved in their activities, especially in "talent spotting".  "Kale had allegedly recruited Wagmare to finish off Gauri and had trained him in sharpshooting for the job. This was Wagmare's first murder," said the officer. 

When Wagmare stunned Kale!

To confirm Wagmare's confession, the SIT had planned a “strategic” chance encounter between him and Amol Kale while they were in custody on Wednesday night, a day before they were produced before a city court. An unsuspecting Kale, who had been maintaining silence before the SIT, was taken aback when he saw Wagmare. "He shouted and banged his head on the wall when he saw Wagmarre,” the police said. 

PERSON OF INTEREST
According to sources, Amit Degwekar - the 37-year-old alleged 'ashramite' from Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, is another person of interest in the Gauri murder case. He was arrested along with Kale and Manohar Edave of Vijayapura district in the third week of May for alleged involvement in the conspiracy to kill Bhagwan.

"Degwekar was involved in the publication of the SS magazine, 'Sanatan Prabhat', and he used to live in the ashram. How and why did he get involved in an alleged ideological murder case need to be investigated," said the source.  The arrest of K.T. Naveen alias Hotte Manja on March 2 for allegedly providing logistical support to Gauri killers was the first breakthrough in the rather "dead end" case, which has picked pace since then.